Reported speech: questions and commands
Reported speechIn reported speech, the verb moves back a tense, e.g. present simple > past simple, present continuous > past continuous, etc.
‘Are you a student?’ He asked me if I was
a student.
‘Is Lisa watching TV?’ She asked me if Lisa was watching TV.
The past perfect tense and modal verbs should, could, might and ought to don’t change in reported speech.
‘What should I do?’ She asked me what she should do.
Reported questions
We use ask, want to know or wondered to
report questions. We change the interrogative form to the affirmative form, and we put the subject before the verb.
‘Where are you?’ He wanted to know where
I was.
A yes/no question is introduced by if or whether.
‘Can I borrow your bike?’ She wondered if/whether she could borrow my bike.
1 Rewrite the questions in reported speech.
1 ‘Will the flight be delayed?’
Jill wanted to know …………………….……
…………………………………………………
2 ‘Where have you been all night?’
My parents wanted to know …………………
…………………………………………………
3 ‘Will I pass my exam?’
Mark wondered ………………………………
…………………………………………………
4 ‘Did you remember the invitations?’
Sue asked me …………………………………
…………………………………………………
5 ‘How long have you been learning German?’
Karl wondered ………………………………
…………………………………………………
Reported commandsWe use told/asked + object + (not) to
+ infinitive.
‘Please help me’. He asked her to help him.
‘Don’t shout at me.’ She told him not to shout
at her.
2 Rewrite the commands in reported speech.
‘Keep to the left.’
The police officer told the cyclist to keep to
the left.
1 ‘Please don’t smoke in this area.’
The waitress asked them ………………………
2 ‘Sit down and be quiet.’
The teacher told the class ……………………
3 ‘Don’t forget to post the letter.’
Jane told her boyfriend ………………………
4 ‘Don’t talk during the exam.’
The examiner told us …………………………
5 ‘Please switch off your mobile phone.’
The air hostess asked him ……………………
3 Rewrite the sentences in reported speech. Use the correct form of the verbs from the box.
‘Put down your gun, Paul.’
The police officer ordered Paul to put down
his gun.
1 ‘I think you should have a holiday, Kate.’
He ……………………………………………
2 ‘Don’t touch that electric wire, John.
It’s dangerous!’
She ……………………………………………
3 ‘Would you like me to help you, Brad?’
She ……………………………………………
4 ‘Jamie, don’t forget that it’s Julie’s birthday on Friday.’
She ……………………………………………